Caramelized Onion and Chicken Soup au Gratin

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. unsalted butter
• 1 tsp. canola oil
• 3 Vidalia onions, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise
• 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
• 1/2 (10 oz.) French baguette, cut into 16 rounds
• 1/2 cup shredded Comte, Gruyere, Swiss or Jarlsberg cheese

Makes 4 Servings

1. Melt the butter and oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and well softened, about 12 minutes.
2. Add the broth, wine, thyme, and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, about 25 minutes. Add the chicken and simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes.
3. Preheat the broiler. Place the bread rounds on a baking sheet and broil 5 inches from the heat until toasted, about 2 minutes on each side.
4. Place 4 bread rounds in each of 4 ovenproof soup bowls. Add the soup (a generous 2 cups in each bowl) and sprinkle evenly with the cheese.
5. Place the bowls on the baking sheet and broil 5 inches from the heat until the cheese melts and is golden brown, about 5 minutes.

WW POINTS VALUE: 11 pts. (1 bowl per serving)

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Ultimate Chicken Cookbook. This is what I call upscale gourmet comfort food. French food is elegant and comforting. This is a hearty take on the classic French onion soup due to adding chicken. It's a really comforting and delicious soup you can enjoy for lunch or dinner and it's a compliment to France. I added a pinch of salt, a chicken bouillion cube and minced garlic for more flavor. It was worth adding those ingredients to the soup. The cheese makes this soup nice and gooey. Comte cheese is from the Gruyere family; if you don't have Comte cheese, you can use Gruyere, Jarlsburg or Swiss cheese in this recipe and your soup will be delicious. If you don't have ovenproof soup bowls, you can use small casserole dishes and you'll still have the flavorful soup.

Chicken Burgers on Garlic Bread

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp. plain dried bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp. coarse-grained Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (8-oz.) length of French bread, cut into 4 equal pieces and split
• 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, halved

Makes 4 Servings

1. Spray the rack of a broiler pan with nonstick spray and preheat the broiler.
2. Mix together the chicken, bread crumbs, cheese, mustard, shallots, thyme, salt and pepper in a medium bowl until well combined. With damp hands, shape into 4 (1/2-inch thick) oval patties.
3. Place the patties on the broiler rack and broil 4 inches from the heat until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the side of a burger registers 165 F, 5-6 minutes on each side.
4. Meanwhile, brush the cut sides of the bread with the oil. Broil, cut side up, alongside the burgers until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Rub the cut side of the garlic over the toasted side of the bread. Place a burger on the bottom half of each piece of bread and cover with the top of the bread.

WW POINTS VALUE: 7 pts

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW in 20 Minutes Cookbook. Who doesn't crave a flavorful burger once in a while? You don't always need ground beef to enjoy a delicious burger. Chicken burgers are just as tasty and flavorful as your ordinary burgers you get at restaurants. This chicken burger was such a delicious treat. I added the Parmesan cheese for a more authentic Italian taste. This is what I call Italy on the Grill. You can also add other cheeses such as Gruyere, mozzarella, asiago, etc. for a more Mediterranean flavor and it will still be delicious. If you want to add more filling to this burger, I highly recommend adding arugula, spinach, romaine lettuce, aioli, roasted red pepper sauce, tomato, etc and you will be happy. You will never find this burger at a brand name Italian restaurant. If you really want to add more Mediterranean flare to this burger, I highly recommend Organic Basil Extra-Virgin Olive Oil from the Imperial Olive in Williamsburg, VA. You can visit www.TheImperialOlive.com for more information.